


Sweetest Devotion

by jessi_08



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: Christmas, F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-25
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-09 05:48:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5528360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jessi_08/pseuds/jessi_08
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tobin and Alex broke up after the World Cup victory, still remaining close friends Alex asks Tobin to come home for the Holidays with her considering she hadn't told her family yet of their break up. Tobin agrees to join Alex, both women still love each other but don't act on it. Will things change while they are at the Morgan household or will the truth come out to Alex's family?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Tobin tossed the ball back to Alex across the room, the two laid on their beds tossing their soccer ball back and forth between them. They didn’t talk, didn’t have to, they took comfort in the silence. 

“So I have a question,” Alex finally asked as she heard the ball hit Tobin's hands. 

“Ok?” Tobin said, tossing the ball back. Alex spun it in her hands. 

“I was wondering if… possibly... “

“Alex just tell me, I promise it’ll be ok,” Tobin sighed and Alex tossed the ball back. 

“Would you mind acting like we were still together… I sort of, didn’t tell my family we broke up,” Alex said and Tobin laughed.

“You’re kidding me?” Tobin sat up to look at Alex.

“Um… Actually I’m not,” Alex said looking over at Tobin.

“Alex… what the hell, it’s been like months. What did you tell them while I was over in Paris?” 

“That I was busy with the expansion and you wanted to visit friends,” 

“Gezz... Alex you need to tell them. What are we going to do down the road? Keep the lie up? For how long?” Alex sighed and shook her head.

“I’m sorry, I get it. It’s ok I’ll tell them when I see them,” Alex agreed and Tobin sighed again. 

“I’ll do it,” Tobin agreed and Alex looked over at her shocked.

“Tobin, you don’t have to,” 

“I wouldn’t want to break grandma’s heart for the holidays,” Tobin chuckled, looking at Alex who was smiling. “But you owe me,”

“Anything, just name it,”

“Let me think on it,” Tobin said and Alex agreed, looking at the ball. 

“Want to go kick around?” 

“Alex… we’re in Hawaii… wanna go surf?” Tobin asked and Alex smiled, nodding. 

x-x-x

“I got it,” Tobin said grabbing Alex’s bag at the airport when they landed in California. “Can’t have your family thinking anything is up,” She smiled and Alex laughed, taking Tobin’s hand in her own. Tobin looked down at their joined hands and then back at Alex, she hiked their bags further up her other arm and kept walking. 

“Alex, didn’t you say just your dad was going to pick us up?” Tobin asked.

“Yeah, why?”

“Because apparently your dad brought your mom, and hey even your nephew, Chase is here,” Tobin smiled now, she looked over at Alex who smiled back at her. Tobin dropped the bags on the ground and scooped the little boy into her arms as Alex hugged her family. 

“Toby! You came, mommy said you might not,” Chase said and Tobin grinned. 

“Oh yeah? Why’d she say something like that?”

“She said you had to see your family too,” Chase said as Tobin allowed the boy to crawl onto her back so she could give him a piggy back. “Do you miss your family Toby?”

“Yeah, but that’s ok, I would miss you if I was with them. I can see them after the holidays,” 

“Thanks for coming Toby,” Chase grinned, tightening his arms around Tobin’s neck. Tobin walked over to where Alex was standing with her parents and grandmother. 

“See you found your favorite person,” Alex smiled, ruffling Chase’s hair as she looked at Tobin.

“Luckily you never stray too far,” Tobin smirked and Alex scoffed. 

“Well I bet you two want to head home, get a shower and nap,” Alex’s father said and Tobin nodded, as much as she loved traveling she hated flying, it made her feel the need to get as clean as possible. 

“Let’s get you two home then,” Alex’s grandmother said before leading the way to the car. Tobin walked side by side with Alex, she thought about taking the woman’s hand but didn’t want to let go of Chase on her back either, so instead she brushed along side her every few steps, earning a smile each time. 

x-x-x

“How is it this quiet?” Tobin asked softly as she laid across Alex’s childhood bed. Alex laughed from her spot sitting against the bed on the floor. 

“Because we aren’t surrounded by friends, who love to be loud and the center of attention? Or a thousand screaming fans?” Alex said and Tobin laughed. 

“It’s nice,” She said back and Alex nodded. 

“It is isn’t it? It’s why I love coming home,” Tobin thought for a while before replying.

“I could stay… someplace like this wouldn’t be bad,” She finally said and Alex turned to face her, resting her chin on the bed. 

“What do you mean?” She asked, Tobin never talked about staying some place, she tried to get the shortest leases possible, and the day their season was done would be running out the door. Alex thought it was cute till it became too much one day and she asked Tobin to stay or not come back at all, shocked when Tobin left. 

“I mean this would be a good place to stay,” Tobin said slowly as if choosing each of her words carefully.

“Oh,” Alex said slightly hurt, she turned away from the older woman, slumping back against the floor.

“You know, our breakup wasn’t really how I thought a break up would go,” Tobin said and Alex sighed, pushing up off the floor to get away from Tobin. 

“How’d you expect it to go?” Alex shot back at her when she reached the door. Tobin shook her head, staring up at the ceiling.

“I thought it’d never happen. I thought you were it for me,”

“So why’d you walk out?” 

“Because that terrified me,” Tobin answered and Alex walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her. Tobin sighed, knowing she couldn’t go after the woman when she was angry. Tobin rolled over in the bed facing the wall, she curled up in on herself trying to push the last month from her mind. 

x-x-x

“I shouldn’t have done this Kelley,” Alex said sitting on the back deck of her parent’s home, her phone stuck between her shoulder and ear.

“Well then why did you?” Kelley asked and Alex sighed.

“I wanted her to stay,”

“Alex, when has Tobin ever wanted to stay in one place?” 

“Never,” Alex sighed. 

“Who does she always go back to?” 

“Portland,”

“No, who, not where,”

“I…”

“Alex…” Kelley said sternly.

“Me,” Alex offered up weakly. 

“So why was this last time different?” 

“I miss her when she’s gone,” Alex said and Kelley chuckled at how defeated the woman sounded.

“Alex do you know who calls me in the middle of the night talking about her amazing girlfriend? Who can babble on for hours about her girlfriend? Who over thinks absolutely everything with me? Who called me when you asked her to do this for you?” 

“Toby…” 

“Yeah. Do you know who called me every night she was away from you, talking about how she still loved you? How she should just go back and fix everything between you two?”

“Ok Kelley…”

“No, this last part you need to hear. Tobin went to figure out if she was ready to settle down, if she was ready to give up her lifestyle she loved so much, for the woman she loves so much.” Kelley sighed. “Alex, she is strong and stubborn but damn she wanted to give up everything she knows and loves for you. She’d give up couch hopping and exploring the world to stay with you. You are her home, something she hasn’t had or wanted in a long time. So the ball is in your court Alex, because she loves you, always will.”

“Thanks Kell,”

“Anytime baby horse. Now tell me how exactly that is working out for you two?” 

“We’ve only been home for a few hours, it’s like nothing changed. Well except mom took Tobin’s ball and said they belong outside,”

“Still not over the broken lamp, I see,” Kelley smirked and Alex chuckled, shaking her head.

“I think it was more of the perfect excuse to get her out of the house with the ball so she wouldn’t keep nutmegging her,” Alex grinned at the memory, she could see it on her mother’s face the moment realization hit her.

“Hey, I hate to cut this short but I have a flight to catch and I’m pretty sure the flight attendant is going to kill me if I don’t shut this thing off soon,” 

“Flight? Where you going O’Hara?” 

“Um… Seattle,” Kelley said nervously and Alex smiled.

“To visit everyone’s favorite keeper?”

“Naw, Ash is in Florida, you know that,” 

“Have fun with Hope, Kelley,” Alex said.

“Get your girl back Morgan!” Kelley said hanging up, she looked over at the flight attendant that had glared at her multiple times, pointing to her phone before shoving it in her bag. 

x-x-x

Alex walked back into the house finding Tobin laying on the floor with Chase as the two built with the legos the little boy had. Alex’s mother quickly swept her into the kitchen.

“Is everything alright between you and Tobin?” She asked quickly and Alex’s heart sank.

“What do you mean?”

“Well you just stormed outside and Tobin came down looking like someone kicked her puppy,” 

“It was just a small tiff,” Alex promised. “It will blow over,” 

“Ok honey, just remember she’s a good one,” Alex looked over to Tobin and nodded. 

“Trust me mom, I know,” Alex said half heartedly. 

“Alright, well why don’t you drag her away from the kid, get her out for a bit?” Alex walked over to Tobin, sitting on the floor next to her, resting her hand on the woman’s lower back.

“Want to join me for a walk?” She asked quietly and Tobin looked up at her, then down to Chase.

“You mind if I join aunt Alex for a walk for a bit Chase?”

“Ok,” He said not taking his eyes off his toys. “Play later though?” 

“Sure buddy,” Tobin smiled ruffling his hair before standing up and following Alex outside. 

“It’s nice to be back home,” Alex said as they walked down the street.

“I bet, the neighborhood is nice,” Tobin said, she always enjoyed Alex’s childhood home, her family, and the comfort it brought to the younger woman. “I can see little you running around the streets.” 

“Yeah?” Alex smiled. 

“Yeah, riding your bike, practicing your shot in the park,” Tobin smiled, pointing over to one of the trees. “I still remember your mom telling me the story of your sister falling out of the tree.” 

“And you just had to climb it that one time and ‘show her how it’s done’.” Alex smirked. “I thought she’d never like you again after that,”

“I already knew she’d forgive me,” 

“Oh why is that?”

“Because I loved you and treated you right and that’s all she wants in someone for you,” 

“You were so sure of that?”

“At the time? Yeah, I knew that no matter how much I picked on her, she would be like you. Let it roll off of her,” 

“And what would you have done had she had taken offense to it?”

“Let her win at soccer later that day,” Tobin smiled and Alex laugh, that day they had played against her siblings and Tobin and Alex had destroyed them. 

“You would have purposely lost to make my sister feel better?”

“She would’ve won by only one goal,” Tobin clarified, turning around to walk backwards so she could face Alex. “I couldn’t let the Alex Morgan lose by too much.” She smiled when she realized Alex was blushing.

“The Alex Morgan?”

“The greatest soccer player in the world, of course,” 

“Far from it,” Alex scoffed and Tobin shook her head, she stopped in her tracks, putting her hands on Alex’s shoulders to stop her. 

“Alex you’ve just had a bad season or so, you’re still coming back from an injury. You will be back on top and soon.” Tobin promised, Alex looked up at Tobin.

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because you are the strongest and most stubborn woman I know. I know that you won’t give up till you’re back on the top of your game.” She promised slinging an arm over Alex’s shoulders, pulling her close. “Anyway you have the best midfielder behind you to feed you some of the passes in the world.” Tobin grinned as Alex laughed, resting her head on Tobin’s shoulder.

“I somehow believe you,” Alex said back, her arm wrapping around Tobin’s as they walked. “Can I ask you about what you said earlier?”

“What did I say?” Tobin asked. 

“That you could stay somewhere like this,” Alex clarified and Tobin nodded. “You’ve never wanted to stay in one place Tobin, so what is it about here?”

“It’s more than just this place, it’s…” Tobin sighed. “I could settle anywhere really, but here has you.” This time Alex stopped and pulled at Tobin till she faced her. 

“What do you mean here has me?”

“Here has all your memories, your past… like I said, I can see little you running around growing up…” Tobin rubbed the back of her neck. “I can see little yous… and little mes… running around growing up here. I didn’t know I wanted that… not till I left and all I could think about was coming home to you.” 

“Then why did you leave Tobin?” Alex asked hurt.

“I was afraid you would get tired of me, we’ve never been around each other for that long before and… I didn’t want you to find me annoying,” Tobin admitted, unable to meet Alex’s stare.

“Oh Tobin,” Alex smiled, cupping the woman’s cheek. “I could never get tired of you,” Alex promised and Tobin looked up at her. “I love you Tobin, nothing would change that,” 

“I never should have left,” Tobin said, leaning in to kiss Alex when the younger woman’s phone rang.

“Ignore it,”

“It’s your mom,” Tobin said, smirking.

“How do you know?” Alex said digging her phone out.

“Because dinner would be done in an hour… it’s been that long,” Tobin chuckled, she kissed Alex’s forehead as the woman answered her phone.


	2. Chapter 2

“There’s two days till Christmas and you are just now figuring out you don’t have a gift for Alex?” Ashlyn said back to Tobin who groaned. “What exactly am I supposed to do for you?”

“Ask Ali what I should do?”

“So why didn’t you just call her?”

“Because…”

“Tobin…”

“I don’t have her number ok?”

“I put it in your phone for you! I put all of the team… What happened to your phone?”

“Remember last camp?”

“Yes, it was like a week ago,”

“Well… remember when I was looking for my key card?”

“Why didn’t you just say you lost your phone?” Ashlyn groaned.

“Because you always pick on me for forgetting it,” Tobin exclaimed as Ash sighed.

“Honey, what should Tobin get Alex for Christmas?” Ash asked Ali, as the defender walked into the living room. 

“A ring,” Ali smirked back and Ashlyn rolled her eyes.

“She’s not being helpful,” Ashlyn informed her friend. “What do you want to get her?”

“A ring,” Tobin smirked having heard Ali’s answer.

“That’s my girl!” Ali shouted and Tobin smiled.

“Be serious Tobin,” Ashlyn said and Ali chuckled dropping herself into Ashlyn’s lap.

“Never thought I would hear you say that,” Ali said, pulling the phone away from Ashlyn and putting it on speaker. “Alright Toby, how can we help?”

“I don’t know what to get her? It has to be kind of impressive still because well we’re supposed to be together for her family at least,”

“Right…” Ash said, she wasn’t the biggest fan of the plan that was in effect.

“So what about…” Ali stopped, she was stumped over what to get Alex for Christmas. “Hang on.” Ali said pulling her own phone out, she quickly sent a text to Syd.

“So how is the whole plan going?” Ash asked.

“We’ve talked… a lot. Most everything became water under the bridge I guess,” 

“She still mad at you for leaving?”

“No, I told her,”

“Told her what?” Ali asked. 

“That she was too afraid that Alex would find her annoying if they stayed together in the same place for too long,” Ashlyn explained.

“She always finds you annoying,” Ali said and Tobin could hear Ashlyn smack the defender.

“That is not the right thing to say, dear,” Ash said back and Ali laughed. 

“Hey, I find you annoying all the time too but, I love you because of it,” Ali explained while Ash fringed hurt. “Oh Syd said she doesn’t know, to ask Kelley,”

“Call Kelley, right,” Tobin said and Ali dialed the young woman. 

“Hey Kriger!” 

“You have Ash, and Tobin, through Ash’s phone too,”

“Oh how fun!” Kelley said excitedly. 

“Tobs has a question,” Ash said trying to keep everyone on track.

“Go for it Tobs!”

“I need help picking out a gift for Alex,”

“Oh man… That’s going to be hard. Are we talking a ‘I still love you’ gift? Or a ‘I only need this gift because of this insane plan that is going to end horribly’ gift?” 

“Thanks for the vote of confidence Kells!” Tobin groaned. 

“Yeah man, little harsh,” Ashlyn said. 

“Well I need to know…” She said and the lines were quiet. “Tobin?”

“An I love you gift….” 

“Ever think of getting her a ring?” Kelley said half jokingly, earning a few chuckles.

“They all suggested that,” Tobin explained.

“What about… well hang on, are you and her… back together?” Kelley asked.

“No, not yet,”

“Not yet?” 

“I want to fix it,” 

“Then get her something that comes from your heart,” 

“Like what?”

“Don’t know Tobs that’s all on you,” Kelley smiled, glad to hear that her friend wanted to fix the relationship. 

“Follow your gut.” Ashlyn advised.

“Not your gut! Your heart,” Ali said pinching Ashlyn’s arm. 

“Guys… How am I going to get out of the house long enough to buy her something?” 

x-x-x

Tobin walked into the house with Chase on her shoulders, she walked right up to Alex, signaling the boy to ‘attack’ her. 

“Rawr! I got you aunt Lex!” Chase said, and Alex chuckled before playing along.

“Oh no! Someone help! A wild Chase got me,” She said and the boy giggled as she tickled him. Alex turned around and plucked him off of Tobin, before tickling him more and setting him on the ground.

“Run Toby!” He said thinking his aunt would chase him and Tobin. Tobin chuckled and smiled as Alex wrapped an arm around her pulling her close. The two watched as the little boy ran out the door back into the yard. 

“See little yous,” Tobin said and Alex smiled, dropping her head to Tobin’s shoulder. 

“I think I’d prefer little yous,” Alex said back and Tobin’s heart soared at the thought. They both startled when Alex’s phone went off.

“It’s Ash,” She said answering it, putting it on speaker.

“Hey Ash,” They both greeted. 

“Morgan! You have to save me, Ali and Kelly teamed up on me at Mario Kart,” Ashlyn said causing both women to laugh.

“How exactly can I save you?”

“Log on and join my team,” Ashlyn said, pouting.

“I don’t know Ash, I’m pretty busy here with family and all,”

“Just for a little bit… Please,” 

“Don’t even bother Alex, you know Kelley, and I will own you two at it.” Ali said and Tobin looked at Alex, knowing the woman’s competitive side would rear up.

“It’s on Kriger!” Alex said, untangling herself from Tobin before walking into the living room. Tobin chuckled following, she stopped when her own phone went off with a message.

‘Make a break for it!’ Kelley had written and it finally hit Tobin that this was their plan to get her out of the house.

“Hey Alex, I’m gonna run out for a bit,” Tobin said as the girl was setting up the game.

“Ok, you want company?” Alex asked looking over toward Tobin who shook her head.

“It’s ok. You need anything while I’m out?” 

“Nothing I can think of,” Tobin started walking out toward the door, grabbing Alex’s keys, she spotted Alex’s mother and walked over to her. “I’m going to run out for a bit, did you need anything while I’m out?” 

“That’s sweet of you Tobin but I can’t think of anything,” Tobin chuckled.

“That’s exactly what Alex said. Well if you think of anything just give me a call or text,” Tobin smiled.

“Stay safe out there Tobin, don’t let fans bombard you,” She joked. 

“Thanks Mrs. Morgan,” Tobin said slipping away before the woman scolded her for calling her Mrs. Morgan. 

Tobin was glad the mall was near the Morgan’s house, she didn’t want to have to drive far. She spent a good hour walking around the mall unable to find anything that she felt would fit for Alex. Getting frustrated she pulled her phone back out to call her sister.

“Hey Tobs,” 

“Hey Perry, I need some help,” 

“What’s up?”

“I have to get Alex a Christmas gift and I have no idea what to get her,”

“Why? She’s with her family and you’re… Tobin you’re in Portland right? You told mom and dad that you were staying in Portland this year because you just wanted some peace,” Tobin sighed, running her hand through her hair. 

“About that…”

“Tobin Powell Heath! Why would you lie?” 

“Alex asked me to come down to her family’s Christmas… she didn’t tell them we broke up,” 

“And you thought going along with this was a good idea, how?”

“Per… I still love her. I never should have left in the first place. I didn’t think she was serious about it till I got to camp and she brushed me off and told me I had made my choice,”

“And she just dragged you back into a lie,”

“Per I can argue with you later I just need help,” Tobin plead. 

“Alright, where are you?”

“A mall?” Tobin said as she wander around the building still, unable to find anything worth while.

“Good, does this mall have a…”

“I have to call you back,” Tobin said hanging up the phone. Tobin walked up to the small store, looking in the display window. Tobin walked into the store and up to a worker. 

“Can I help you?”

“Yeah, you guys do engravings right?” 

“Sure do,” The woman smiled. “What would you like to be engraved?”

“I was actually looking at two things… maybe more. The picture frames you have in the front, the silver ones, they can be engraved right?”

“Sure can, I’ll get you a form,”

“Actually I need them done as soon as possible,”

“We have a list of others to be done.” The woman explained and Tobin’s face fell, biting her lip.

“What’s the possibility of me being able to get these done today?” Tobin tried again, the woman shaking her head. “See, I came to visit with my girlfriend’s family, we’ve been pretty rocky lately and I flew in and they lost my bag, it had her gift in it… it was a necklace with our anniversary date on it,” Tobin explained, feeling bad about the lie. “And now I’m kind of stuck here with nothing,”

“How about this, if you can give me two hours I can have it done for you?”

“Sounds perfect,” Tobin smiled. 

“Now, just show me what you’d like and I’ll get started on it,” Tobin showed the woman exactly what she wanted and how, the woman gave her some suggestions and even showed her a frame that contained multiple frames in one. 

“This shouldn’t take too long, two, three hours tops. If you leave your number I can call you when it’s done,” Tobin wrote her number down for the woman, but instead of leaving she kept walking around the shop. Tobin helped straighten things out, helped by talking with and helping any customers as well as she could. When a girl walked in and her eyes went wide, Tobin just smiled, watching as the girl went straight to the woman who helped her earlier. 

“Mom… that’s Tobin Heath,” The girl said and the woman chuckled, nodding. 

“She’s getting a few frames engraved,” The woman explained.

“Yeah, your mother is saving me from looking like an idiot this Christmas,” Tobin said walking up. “I can’t thank you enough by the way,”

“It’s my pleasure,” The woman said. 

“Take a lesson from me kid, don’t ever put a gift in a bag you have to check on a plane, they’ll lose it,” Tobin chuckled. 

“Tobin’s been keeping herself busy, doing your job,” The woman said, slightly scolding to the girl and Tobin waved it off.

“Thanks for not doing it, I’d be bored with nothing to do,”

“So what did you get for…”

“I got a picture frame for Alex, or well frames, I engraved them to say ‘From teammates to friends to family to champions.’ I’m going to fill it with photos of the team through the years,”

“That’s… really nice,” The girl smiled thoughtfully. 

“Thanks, it took me a while to come up with, but everyone was telling me to follow my heart,” 

“You and Alex aren’t together anymore are you?” The girl asked bluntly and her mother scolded her.

“We’ve hit a rough patch, things will work out though,”

“I hope so,” The girl said and Tobin nodded.

“I hope so too,”

“What happened? If you don’t mind me asking?” She quickly added as her mother groaned.

“I swear she isn’t normally this way!” Her mother explained and Tobin just smiled, shrugging.

“I wasn’t thinking and went back to Paris even though she asked me to stay,” 

“Why would you go if you loved her?”

“I was afraid of her not loving me more. We had been around one another day in and day out for so long that I was worried that without some time apart she’d leave me,”

“That’s crazy!” The girl shouted. 

“I know that now, but at first… I was too scared to be without her and I didn’t think she wouldn’t let me back in. When I returned I thought we would be ok. We weren’t,” Tobin was shocked at herself for revealing all this to people she didn’t know, but she trusted the small family. 

“You know how insane you sound?”

“I know now, of course. I didn’t know when I was in Paris, or at least for the first day or so that I was there. I just knew I missed her, and I wanted to be home with her. I never felt that before, the intense pull to be back just near her. I felt so much better when I was close to her, even when we went back to the games and we just shared a room. Sure she was mad and barely spoke with me but I knew I could fix it,”

“How are you going to fix it?”

“I’m just going to go with whatever God throws our way,”

“Again with the crazy talk! You have to win her back Tobin! She is the greatest thing in your life, you’ve basically said so. So you need to fight for her, you need to fix whatever happened,”

“It’s not that simple, you have to realize I broke her heart when I left. I chose my unattached lifestyle over her and she… she trusted me not to,” 

“But you always returned to her, she knew that. Even after you went back to her… Wait… why did you? Well not why but how did you know you could? That she’d talk to you again?”

“Easy, I knew I had made a mistake and I knew after that mistake had happened that she was my everything,” The girl being sharp picked up on that last statement and connected dots quickly.

“It wasn’t a necklace was it?”

“What?”

“That got lost in your luggage. It was a ring?”

“I…” Tobin stared slack jawed at the young girl.

“And you still have it, but now that things are as they are you can’t give it to her… because you want to actually fix everything first before asking her to just randomly marry you… which means this isn’t just a bump, it’s a break,” Tobin shook her head, shocked, then looked up at the older woman.

“I’m sorry, she’s just like this sometimes. She’s really good at piecing things together,” She apologized.

“It’s ok… I’m just… I don’t know what to say,”

“Say you’ll fix it,”

“I wish I could make that promise but Alex has her own opinions and her own choice to make. I can’t force her to take me back,” 

“But she loves you,” 

“She does, but I hurt her. Sometimes people can’t get over the hurt others have caused them no matter how much they love them,” 

“If she didn’t think it was worth it, or that it was unfixable then you wouldn’t be down here with her family,” Tobin chuckled, the girl was smart. 

“That’s true, I would be home with my family,” 

“And if you’re here… she didn’t tell her family did she?”

“She didn’t,”

“That means she doesn’t want it to be over,”

“Not really kid,”

“Purpose to her,”

“It’s not that simple… A ring won’t fix this,” 

“But you two belong together,” Tobin sighed and dropped a hand to the girl’s shoulder. 

“Kid, trust me I wish it was that simple. I have a lot to make up for, I know that. I’m ok with that, I have hope for us. If I didn’t I wouldn’t be here. Had she not asked me to come with her… and as much as I hate it, to lie to her parents, I wouldn’t be here,”

“I just don’t understand if you love her and show her then why can’t that fix everything?” The girl asked and Tobin nodded, looking at the older woman.

“You remember when you were a kid and you would be really upset and say things like ‘I hate you’ to your mom?” The girl nodded. “You knew that would hurt your mom but she is your mom and loved you no matter what. I walked out and that was a way of me saying I hate you to Alex without really meaning it. I regret it and yes I bought a ring in Paris on my first day there because yes I want to marry her so much, and I hope one day everything will be back to that and I get to ask her. Till then… I’ll keep the ring with my friend who promised to keep it and my secret safe,”

“Why not carry it with you?” The older woman asked and Tobin smiled at her.

“Because I’d drop down onto bended knee the minute I saw her and I had it with me. I need to do this right, she deserves for it to be done right and for us to be perfect before I drop this on her,” Tobin looked between the two. “Now however I have to ask you both to keep my secret safe ok?”

“Okay,” The girl said as her mother nodded. 

“Your frame should be done, I’ll go check,” The woman said before walking into the back, the girl started walking around the store checking on everything. 

“Tobin can I ask you something?”

“Anything kid,”

“Do you think I’m different?” She asked and Tobin shook her head.

“No, I think everyone is a little unique, some of us more than others, but that’s what makes us, us,”

“I don’t understand others’ feelings very well though,” 

“That’s ok, you try to understand them, that’s all that matters,” 

“Other people don’t think that way,”

“Well other people aren’t as awesome as you and I then, huh?” Tobin smiled and the girl nodded. Tobin walked over to the register, writing her number down on a paper. “Here, call me and next time we’re in town we’ll visit ok?” 

“Ok,” The girl smiled as her mother walked out with the frames. 

“Thank you for the talk, I needed it. Oh and the wonderful gift for Alex,” Tobin smiled.

“No, thank you,” The woman smiled looking over at her daughter. “Aria doesn’t talk to many people, I’ve never seen her like that with a stranger,” 

“Well I gave her my number, so anytime you want to see that again, call,” Tobin smiled.

“Oh don’t offer that I won’t stop calling. You bring the best out in people, I hope you know that,” Tobin just gave a nod before thanking her again and walking out the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright so that's part two, the final part will be up tonight or tomorrow sometime. I hope you guys like this! And Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas!


	3. Chapter 3

Tobin walked back into the house to find that Alex’s siblings had descended on the property. She quickly put the gift under the tree for Christmas morning, along with other things she had picked up for everyone. 

“Toby! You’re back,” Chase said running into her legs. “Aunty Lex is grumpy,” 

“Oh?” Tobin looked over at Alex who did indeed look a bit upset. “And why are you grumpy?” 

“Stupid blue shells,” Alex grumbled making Tobin laugh, she wrapped an arm around the young striker, kissing her temple. 

“Next time we’ll gang up on them,” Tobin promised and Alex smiled, turning in Tobin’s arms to burry her face in Tobin’s chest. “Is something else bothering you?” Tobin asked when Chase ran over to his father. 

“I missed you,” Alex said quietly and Tobin kissed the top of her head, tightening her grip on Alex. 

“I missed you too,” 

“Girls, it’s dinner time,” Alex’s father said walking into the room, breaking their bubble. 

“We’ll be right out, dad,” Alex promised, she looked at Tobin who took her hand. 

“Let’s go face the crazy, shall we?” Tobin asked and Alex nodded, steeling herself. Tobin had learned in past years that when all the Morgans got together things could get a bit out of hand. She allowed Alex to lead her out onto the deck where the family sat around a large table. Tobin sat next to Chase while Alex sat on her other side, Jeni, Alex’s sister on her other side. 

“So Tobin what are the plans for you between now and the next camp?” Jeni asked and Tobin looked over at Alex.

“We’ve been gone so much, I was kind of hoping to just get some time at home, together,” Tobin smiled at Alex, taking her hand. “It’s not like next year is going to be any less hectic for us,"

“No Paris this time?” 

“No, I learned on my last trip just how much I’d rather be here,” Tobin said honestly and Alex smiled, squeezing her hand.

“What about you, Al?” Jeni turned to her sister.

“What Tobin said sounds perfect,” 

x-x-x

Tobin stared up at the ceiling of Alex’s room, Alex’s head resting on her stomach. 

“You really weren’t going to go back were you?” Alex asked and Tobin shook her head.

“Nope, I was going to stay,” 

“Why? You hate staying put,"

“It’s not staying put when it’s with you," Tobin looked down at Alex as the young woman looked up at her. “I’d chose you over anywhere else without you, every time. I just had to learn that,” Alex moved her way up to lay next to Tobin, wrapping her arms around her. 

“I’m glad you did learn it though,” Alex said and Tobin nodded, running a hand through Alex’s hair. 

“So am I,” She said back, noticing Alex was falling asleep. She pulled the blankets over them, running her hand through Alex’s hair till the younger woman fell asleep.

x-x-x

“Tobin…. Tobin, wake up," Alex said, shaking Tobin’s shoulder. “Toby… Tobin Powell Heath, I know you are awake," Alex said moving to straddle Tobin, she sat back her arms cross as Tobin smirked, opening her eyes.

“Morning,”

“It’s Christmas eve!” Alex said excitedly. 

“I know,” Tobin chuckled.

The Morgan house was always crazy on Christmas eve, early in the morning they would all end up in the kitchen starting to cook cookies. The first year Tobin had made the mistake of agreeing to package them up for everyone. She had no idea that it meant she would be stuck in the kitchen till late at night packing cookies for every member of the family as the Morgan women cooked nearly 50 dozen cookies for the family. She also learned god forbid you eat one, if you eat one you ruin the whole thing. Thankfully Alex had learned to make Tobin’s favorite first, so she could munch away all day and not be tempted by the ‘lesser’ cookies. 

“Why don’t you get up, so we can get ready and help your mom?” Tobin asked, her hands resting on Alex’s hips. 

“You don’t have to,” Alex reminded her, just like she did every year. Tobin watched her walk across the room, digging in her drawer for clean PJs since it was, after all, in the rules that only PJs may be worn today. 

“I know, but honestly I’m getting pretty good at packing them,” Tobin said and Alex grinned. Alex turned back to Tobin tossing her a pair of PJs. 

“Hurry up, or they’ll send Chase to get us,” Alex smirked as Tobin’s cheeks flared red. Last year when they had taken too long to get up they had sent a four year old Chase to wake them up, not realizing that they had already been awake. Tobin had been shirtless on top of an equally shirtless Alex, kissing her, working both of them up. Tobin couldn’t maintain eye contact with anyone for the rest of the trip. 

“Not funny,” Tobin huffed as she switched into the fresh PJs. She followed Alex downstairs and right into the kitchen, both of them going about their jobs. Tobin setting up the boxes, putting everyone’s names on the boxes and a list of their favorite cookies. 

“Well look at that,” Alex’s mother said walking in, a warm cup of coffee in her hands as a smirk playing at her lips. “Last years late comers are this years first," She said watching as Tobin’s cheeks went deep red.

“Mom!” Alex yelled turning around to look at Tobin who buried her face in her hands. “I’m a grown woman, I’m allowed to do as I please," Alex said and her mother raised an eyebrow, smirking once more, Alex knew she slipped up.

“Oh I know, and you were last year," She said and Alex groaned, looking over at Tobin, mouthing a ‘sorry.’

“I’m going to start Tobin’s cookies, did you want to help or pick on us more?” Alex accused and her mother smiled, setting her coffee down. 

“I’m sorry Tobin, it’s just too easy sometimes,” She explained hugging the young woman.

“It’s alright, I understand,” Tobin said, earning a glare from Alex. 

Soon all the Morgan women were in the kitchen working away, the Christmas music filled the air from the living room as the men worked to put together the gifts for the kids that needed to be assembled. Tobin leaned against the archway between the two rooms watching Alex work around her sisters and mother. Alex looked up at Tobin and smiled, she grabbed a cookie fresh from the oven and walked over to her. 

“It’s hot,” She warned before offering it to Tobin, who reached down and took a bite out of the warm cookie.

“It’s perfect,” Tobin replied, she was hit with a sadness at the moment. This would be the last Christmas spent at the Morgan household. The last warm cookie brought to her by an excited Alex Morgan. 

“Hey, what’s the matter?” Alex asked, cupping her cheek. 

“It’s ok,” Tobin said and Alex gave her a look but Tobin shook her head. 

“Toby! Mistletoe! You kiss aunt Alex,” Chase said running up, proud of himself for picking a spot with his grandfather to place the sprig of a plant. Tobin looked down at the boy before looking back at Alex, Alex’s whole family had stopped and were watching them. Tobin looked at Alex, a hand sneaking to the back of Tobin’s neck and pulling her into a kiss. As soon as her lips met Alex’s they both felt a shock jolt through them. Tobin was nearly about to pull back, but Alex wrapped her arms around Tobin keeping her close. Alex deepened the kiss, Tobin allowed her, missing the younger woman more now than ever. 

“Ok…” Chase said impatiently. Tobin and Alex broke apart, Alex resting her forehead against Tobin’s. Tobin’s hands resting on Alex’s hips as she smiled at the younger woman. 

“Tobs…”

“We should talk,” Tobin said before Alex grabbed her hand.

“We’ll be right back,” Alex said before tugging Tobin back to her room, as soon as the door was shut again Alex was kissing Tobin again. Tobin smiled into the kiss, placing her hands on Alex’s hips, walking her backwards toward the bed. 

“Wait… wait,” Tobin said jumping away from Alex, shaking her head. “We need to…”

“You would’ve stayed, there isn’t anything else to talk about,” Alex said and Tobin looked up at her.

“What?”

“You were going to come back, and you weren’t going to leave again… I was the one that messed everything up. Not you,” Alex quickly explained. “And I love you… I have missed you every second of everyday since that day. Let me back in Tobin… Let me love you again,” Tobin stood rooted to her spot in the room, shocked that Alex had just said that. 

“Alex…”

“If you want to go again, take me with you, I’ll go. I promise you, I’ll go,” Tobin crossed the room wrapping her arms around Alex as the younger woman’s eyes filled with tears. “I just can’t be away from you Tobin,” Alex said, burying her face in the crook of Tobin’s neck. 

“It’s ok Lex, it’s ok. I won’t leave you again, you won’t have to go with me, because I won’t leave,” Tobin explained and Alex sobbed into her shoulder. “I love you Lex,” 

“I love you too Tobin,” Alex looked up as Tobin lifted her chin once more, and returned the kiss that she received, getting lost in it.

x-x-x

“Should we… go find them?” Jeni asked looking over at her mother.

“No, whatever has been off between them these last few days, I think they just fixed it,” She said back looking at her other daughter. “Do you know what was going on there?”

“They were off?” Jeni asked confused.

“Yeah, you didn’t notice?”

“Not at all,”

x-x-x

Tobin sighed contently as she scratched the top of Alex’s head, Alex snuggled into her chest. 

“I can’t believe we just did that…”

“What? At your parents place? Do you not remember last year?” Tobin smirked as Alex pinched her arm.

“No, that was not what I was referring to,”

“What are you referring to then?” 

“I can’t believe we… ok no I can’t believe we just got back together at my parents house and it was that good,” She said adjusting herself so she could look up at Tobin. She took the midfielder's face in, inspecting it under a careful eye. There were slight differences since the last time she had been able to do this; her eyes seemed to still have that spark in them but around them she looked tired and weary, her cheeks looked a little more hollowed out as if she wasn’t eating properly and the biggest difference was her smile, it was just starting to reach her eyes once more. 

“Everything ok, love?” Tobin asked and Alex looked up at her smiling, she leaned up and kissed Tobin.

“Of course, everything is perfect now,” 

“I think maybe we should go downstairs and help,.” Tobin said and Alex shook her head, burying her face in Tobin’s neck.

“I don’t want to leave yet,”

“Alex…” Tobin said, waiting till Alex peeked back up at her. “Your grandma will be here soon,” 

“Right,” Alex said grabbing her shirt from the floor before pulling it back on. She was about to grab the PJ pants tossed carelessly at the bottom of the bed when Tobin wrapped her arms around her again, kissing down her neck. 

“You promise everything is ok?” Tobin asked and Alex grinned, turning in Tobin’s arms so she was straddling the woman again. 

“I promise,” She said kissing Tobin, feeling Tobin’s hands trail down her sides. “I also promise we can pick this up tonight,” She said before standing up, pulling the pants up, covering herself up. Tobin groaned, flopping back to the bed.

“God I love you,” She said and Alex pulled her arm, trying to pull her to her feet. 

“Tobin, my grandma,” She reminded and Tobin sighed getting up, she really didn’t want to give grandma a heart attack on Christmas Eve.

x-x-x

Tobin walked back into the kitchen, backwards as she picked on Alex for the young woman’s inability to properly button up her PJ shirt. 

“Tobin Heath,” She heard her name said sternly and a smile broke out across her face, she turned to face the woman.

“Grandma Morgan,” Tobin grinned as the woman hugged her. 

“Let me have a look at you,” She said stepping back, looking Tobin up and down. “Still too skinny, Alex aren’t you feeding her?”

“More than she should be,” Jeni smirked and Alex smacked her sister’s arm. 

“I’m capable of feeding myself,” Tobin said and earned a look from the woman.

“Sure doesn’t seem like it,”

“If she gets out of shape she’ll be off the team for sure,” Alex responded to her grandma and Tobin chuckled. “Dawn had to restrict her and a few other of the gals diets this year,”

“Cookies better be on that diet,” 

“I’m not following the diet,” Tobin admitted earning a glare from Alex. “What Dawn doesn’t know what hurt her,” She said quickly, kissing the side of Alex’s head.

“Don’t get in trouble,” 

“Tobin? In trouble? Never,” Grandma scoffed and Tobin laughed. “Now, time to get cookies going my loves,” She said walking toward the kitchen. Tobin smiled, kissing Alex once more before making her way back to her spot for setting up the boxes. 

“Alex, quit watching your girl and come help,” Jeni said and Alex walked up to Tobin, kissing her once more before joining her sisters, and mother in the kitchen. 

x-x-x

Somehow Tobin had convinced Chase to help her pack all the cookies into ziplocks with her, Tobin would count out the cookies before placing them into bags and handing them to Chase for final inspection. He would decide who got which bag before gently placing them into the boxes. 

“Toby, what if there aren’t enough?”

“Then we’ll just have to make more,” Tobin said and he grinned, trying to hide a bag under the table.

“Oh,” He grinned as he looked at the next bag, deciding it was good enough to give to Grandma’s box.

“Hey buddy,” Chase’s father picked him up, snagging the bag of cookies that he was hiding from him. “I saw that,” He smirked kissing Chase’s cheek before setting him down. “You helping aunt Tobin out?”

“Yeah daddy,” He said, pouting as the bag got placed in a box. 

“You want to help me and grandpa out for a bit?” Chase looked up at Tobin who gave the boy a nod, it was getting late anyway and soon the baking marathon would turn into dinner chaos. 

“Aw did you lose your helper?” Alex asked walking over to Tobin who took the opportunity and pouted.

“Yeah, he’s on to bigger and better things,” 

“Aw nothing is better than you,” Alex said sitting down on Tobin’s lap. Tobin smiled wrapping her arms around Alex. 

“Are you going to help me?” Tobin asked and Alex grinned, kissing her.

“Maybe,”

“Girls…” Grandma Morgan said and they both looked sheepishly at the woman.

“Sorry grandma,” Alex apologize.

“Oh no need, just wanted to remind you that I’m not getting any younger,” she said and Tobin laughed. The woman certainly had no problem telling them that she wanted the two to be married, and start giving her more great grand kids. 

“We know grandma, you remind us enough to make it hard to forget,” Alex smirked as her grandma smiled at her.

“Good, now scoot out of here while your mother and I make dinner,” She said pushing all of her grandkids out of the kitchen. Tobin quickly shut and stacked all the cookie boxes before following after Alex. Alex pulled Tobin down onto the couch next to her, cuddling into her side. Tobin smiled glad to have the striker back in her arms.

x-x-x

Tobin helped Alex’s father and her brother-in-law set all of the gifts under the tree once Chase was asleep. Making sure everything had a tag and bow before they set up the stockings, video camera, and fireplace for the next morning. 

“Thanks for the help Tobs,” Alex’s father said. “I guess we’ll let you return to Alex now. It is nearly 11 after all,”

“Rest up because we all know Chase is going to be up before dawn,” Chase’s father chuckled.

“Night guys,” Tobin said before going back upstairs to find Alex laying on the bed, her sisters Jeni and Jeri next to her. Tobin knocked gently on the doorframe to catch their attention.

“Come on in Tobs,” Jeri said, patting the bed. 

“Alex was just filling us in on the last few months,” Jeni said and Tobin raised an eyebrow at her striker.

“Sorry, they had it figured out,” She smiled, Tobin just smiled and leaned over to kiss her.

“We’re all better now guys,” Tobin promised and Alex pulled Tobin down onto the bed, snuggling into her. 

“We’ll leave you two for bed,” Jeni said, grabbing Jeri’s arm and pulling her out of the room. Tobin wrapped her arms tightly around Alex, kissing her. 

“So you promised to pick some things back up from this morning,” Tobin said and Alex laughed, kissing Tobin.

“I did,” She said straddling Tobin again.

x-x-x

Tobin was glad that she had insisted they put clothes back on last night, because being woken up at 6:15 in the morning by Chase jumping on them would have been a bit more traumatic for him had she not. Now she watched bleary eyed as Alex got up, pulling her hair into a loose ponytail and a clean shirt on. 

“Tobs, you gotta get up,” Alex said turning her attention back to Tobin.

“We just went to bed,” Tobin whined.

“But it’s Christmas Toby,” Alex pouted, kissing Tobin. Tobin grinned sitting up, she wrapped her arms around Alex as the younger woman sat on her lap. 

“It is, isn’t it?” Tobin asked and Alex chuckled, pressing her forehead to Tobin’s. 

“We can go open gifts with everyone and then get breakfast and relax,” Alex said kissing up Tobin’s neck. Tobin grinned, picking Alex up, who wrapped her legs tightly around her. 

“Let’s go,” Tobin said, carrying Alex to the stairs.

“Put me down before you drop me,” Alex demanded and Tobin laughed before setting Alex down. They got downstairs and Alex walked over to an empty spot on the floor against the couch, Tobin sat down pulling Alex down to sit against her. 

“Alright well with everyone here we can start,” Alex’s father said sitting down he grabbed the first gift handing it to Chase. Soon everyone had a gift to open and the family was chatting all around them. Tobin stopped and watched as Alex opened the gift she had gotten for her. Alex opened the box and Tobin heard her gasp slightly, Tobin wrapped her arms tightly around Alex, dropping her chin to Alex’s shoulder watching as Alex took in all the details of the frames. 

“Toby, I love it,” Alex said turning to face Tobin, tears in her eyes. “I can’t believe you did this,” 

“I didn’t want you to forget where we started,” Tobin said, running her thumbs under Tobin’s eyes to collect the tears from her. Alex turned sitting back between Tobin’s legs, she looked at the photos in the frames, they included everything from when they first joined the team, to their olympic win, the world cup win, Abby’s final game, and the final frame was left empty, with no inscription on the bottom. Alex figured it was meant to be filled with their later adventures.

“What’d you get Al?” Her grandmother asked and Alex, with the help of Tobin, lifted the large frames out of the box to show everyone. 

“Toby got me these frames, they say ‘From teammates to friends to family to champions’,” She said looking down at the box as something caught her eye. Her heart stopped when she saw the paper at the bottom of the box. There in the middle of the box sat a paper with a ring taped to it and in black marker; ‘To wives?’ Tobin was glad she had her hands on the frames the moment Alex let them go and grabbed the paper. Tobin moved the frame to the floor before wrapping an arm around Alex, kissing her cheek.

“What do you say Lex? Will you marry me?” She asked and Alex turned in her arms and kissed her, throwing her arms around Tobin’s neck.

“Of course!” Alex answered, her family erupting into chaos at the moment, but all Alex could see was Tobin.

x-x-x

“I’m seriously going to have to work on my gift giving skills after that today Tobs,” Alex said, laying in bed that evening playing with the perfectly sized ring on her hand. 

“I may have gotten some help,” Tobin said and Alex looked up at her, kissing her bare shoulder. 

“Who helped you?”

“This wonderful mother daughter duo at the mall,” Tobin explained. “They gave me the courage not to give up on us,” 

“Aw Toby,” Alex smiled. 

“Oh and Hope, she was holding the ring for me,” Tobin said and Alex raised an eyebrow at her.

“What do you mean she held it for you?”

“I bought the ring in Paris, and when I realized we really weren’t together she told me to give it to her instead of getting rid of it,” Tobin explained, running a hand up and down Alex’s side. “She said we should fix this first. So she gave up some time along with a few other teammates to get the ring down to me last night,” 

“Tobin… that’s amazing,” Alex said tears pricking her eyes once more. “So you really never did give up hope on us?”

“Never, you’re it for me Alex Morgan,”

“You’re it for me too Tobin,” Alex snuggled close to Tobin, sighing happily as she looked at the ring Tobin gave her. The fact it had a story behind it now made it much more special to her. “I seriously should work on the gift thing though,” She said and Tobin laughed.

“I love the clothes you got me, and snapback, stop worrying so much,” Tobin said kissing Alex again. “Anyway, I considering spending Christmas with you and your family my gift. And well you know, getting you back,” She explained and Alex grinned.

“I love you Tobin,” Alex said.

“I love you too, Lex,”

x-x-x

The next Christmas rolled around and Tobin had the final frame engraved with ‘to wives’, she put their wedding photo into the frame. She decided before asking Alex to marry her that she’d never ask for anything in return for helping Alex lie to her family about their break up. She figured that it all ended up well and she ended up with the love of her life. So with everything right in her world she couldn’t complain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that's it! Hope you guys enjoyed this one. Let me know. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays!


End file.
